Potato digger



J. MOR EAU POTATO BIGGER March 8, 1932.

Filed June 27, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jose/v Nar-eau,

March 8, 1932.

J. MOREAU POTATO DIGG'ER Filed June 27, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Maman,

Jose/a :53%

March 8, 1932. J. MOREAU 1,848,265,

POTATO DIGGER Filed June 27, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 51 which connects with an arcuate spring 52,

the o posed end of which is secured to a lug 53. n the inner end of the shaft 49 is secured a detent 54 operable to engage the lugsk 47 when swung outwardly or, 'to assume an inwardly disposed lug disengaging position.

Rotatably connected with ythe outerreduced portion of thecarrier wheel hub is a hand lever 55 having ,connection with theA arcuate bracket 51 for rotatable adjustment of the shaft 49 and the detent 54.

Thus, by actuating the hand lever 55 in one direction, the shaft 49 and detent 54 may be actuated so that the detent will engage the lugs 47 and lock the sleeve 45 in association with the carrier wheel hub. By opposed movement of the hand lever 55, the detent may be disengaged from the lugs so that the sleeve will be free upon the axle to provide an effective clutch mechanism.

Rotatably disposed upon the reduced portion of each sleeve 45 is the hub 60 of a spider 61. Secured to each spider 61 is annular rim 62 having formed thereon at spaced intervals a pluralit of outwardly projecting radial forks 63, orming a pair of transversely opposed annular fork wheels. Each of the fork wheels is preferably fastened to a sleeve 45 by means of a set screw 64.

Suspended below the wheeled frame and disposed between the carrier wheels thereof, is a digging member of substantially longitudinally elongated rectangular form providing .a relative flat plough. blade 65. At the front, the plough blade is provided with a tapering ground engaging point 66. The upper face of the blade 65 is formed so that the side portions are slightly inclined from! a longitudinal central rib downwardly to the side edges, as shown to advantage in Figure 8, designed to direct the potatoes toward the carrier wheels. The blade is supported by means .of a yoke bracket 67 having the upper divided ends pivotally connected with bifurcated projections 68 depending from the lower sections of theframe bearings 22. The lower portion of the yoke 67 is formed to provide a depending centrally disposed standard 69, the lower end of which projects through an aperture in the blade and is secured by a pin 70 with ears 71 formed at each side of the aperture at the lower side of the plough.4

-The central longitudinally extending rib on the upper face of the plough bladeis prolonged to form a rearwardly projecting lever 72, the purpose of which will be later described.

Pivotally connected with brackets depending from the rear portion of the blade and having a rearward downward inclination is a rack embodying a plurality of parallel krearwardly directed rods disposed in uniformly spaced positions, as shown to advantage in Figures 1 and 3.

Each ofthe carrier wheels 26 is provided with an annular flange disposed adjacent the outer rim portion to which are rigidly connected la series of inwardly directed axial tines 81 arranged at uniformly spaced intervals and having the inner edges beveled so as tovprovide a diminishing taper' toward the outer ends thereof. The tines 81 substantially form a pair of cylindrical open work drums disposed to rreceive a portion of the y potatoesgathered by the machine to rovide seperator means adapted toy loosen tie dirt from the potatoes. v f y f Pivotally connected with the depending bearing extensions 68 and disposed yfor vertical tilting adjustment is a subordinate frame embodying a pair of elongated bars85 connecting with the pivot )ins in thebearing extensions having their forward portions bent to normally assume a downwardly inclined position, as indicated at 86. To the lower portions of the inclined sections 86 is `vconnected a transversely extending roller 87 adapted to normally assume a position'immediately above the forward end portion of the diggingmember. The upper portions of the bars 85 extend rearwardly and converge immediately in the rear of the main sprocket wheel 40, the bars extending in close prox-y imity over the rack structure 75 and connecting by a crossy barsubstantiallyv above the rear end thereof. A handle portion 88 extendsrearwardly from the cross bar and carriesv aconventional form of locking mechanism 89. y The locking mechanism 89 co-operates with a toothed quadrant 90 attached to the rear portion lof the main frame bar 20 and depending downwardly therefrom.

O11 the 'rear end portions of the side arms 85 are formed depending opposed bearing bracket 91 having journaled therein a transversely extending bearing pin 92 which also extends through a bearing 93 arranged intermediate the ends of a rocker bar 94. The lower end of the rocker bar 94 is pivotally connected with the rear end portion of the lever 72 which projects rearwardly from the digging blade. The upper extremity of the rocker bar extends through an aperture in the main frame bar 20 and is formed, at the upper extremity with a bifurcated bracket extension 95 fastened to the intermediate portion of a transversely extending shaft 96.

On the opposed endsvof kthe shaft 96 are journaled annular rollers 97 having an eccenl rtric bore formed transversely therethrough to receive the ends of the rod 96. The rollers 97 are disposed to engage theeXterior peripheral edge of the carrier wheels 26 and yto v berotated during the rotary movement of the wheels. Thus, during the movement of ciprocating movementV inthe digging 'member 65. r

In harvesting potatoes or similar root crops,it is considered preferable to initially run the machine over the rows to sever the vines or above ground portions of the plant. This is accomplished by vertically adjusting the lower subordinate frame structure so that the rear portion, indicated at 88, will be swung downwardly, simultaneously llowering the rocker bar 94: and the rear end portion of the lever '.72. By this adjustmenathe forward portion of the'plough will be elevated to a position substantially above the ground surface, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. By thus tilting the subordinate frame 85, Vthe forward roller 8'? is also swung through an upward arc to assume an elevated position in correspondence with the elevated adjustment of the forward end portion of the digging member. The machine is then driven over the rows, the carrier wheels 26 preferably being spaced to operate between the rows of plants. During the movement of the machine, the forward complementary cutter wheels 36will be rotated and moved 'directly over the ground,fthe cutterwheelsbeing driven through the medium ofthe chain l1 Vconnecting the drive sprocket- 40 with the transmission sprocket 33 so aste cause the right hand wheel to rotate in counter clockwise movement while the adjacent left hand y cutter will rotate in a clockwise movement so as to cleanly sever the stems of the vines ad-k jacent the ground. Y

After the vine cutting operation, the machine is again driven over the rows of plants to eect the digging and separating operations.V For this purpose, the rear end portion 88 of the subordinate frame is returned to its normal elevated position and adjustedvith respectto the quadrant 90, so that the front end of the plough blade 65 will assume a suitable depth in the ground. The machine is then driven over the rows, preferably by means of draft animals connected with an eye bolt 100 attached to the intermediate portion of the front auxiliary frame 28 and guided bymeans of the rear handles 27. As the machine is thus driven over the rows of potato plants, the forward submerged end of the plough blade is constantly reciprocated ata predetermined depth so that the potatoes, as

earth from turning upwardly and will cause i the same to travel thereunder on the plough blade. The ploughed material wil be directed y to the intermediateside portions of the blade due to the inclination thereof, a portion being delivered directly on to the lower laterally extending tines 8l to be agitated and .shaken thereon, so as to the loosen the dirt and foreign matter from the potatoes. Vlheny the potatoes are separated from the dirt and foreign matter, they are,*due to the inclination of the drum teeth 8l directed on to the elevated portion of the plough blade and The potatoes are rear of the machine. n

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as apreferred example of the same,and

that various changes as to shape, size, and

larrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A machine of the character described comprising a frame, carrier wheels supporting the said frame, an inclined digging member suspended from the frame, a rocker bar having one end connected with an extension of the digging member, andan eccentricVV roller connected with the opposed end of the rocker bar having frietional contact with the ,peripheral portions of the carrier wheels adapted to impart reciprocating movement to thev digging member during the operative movementof the machine.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a frame, carrier wheels supporting the said frame, a reciprocating digging member suspended from the frame, and a pair of shaker drums attached to the carrier wheels and extending laterally thereof.

hereunto set my Josnrn MOREAU.

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